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Yesterday (25th April 2007) I came home from a relatively hectic day, and thought that I would slump down before the television and watch with high hopes the South African cricket team give the Aussies a run for their money. I know, so male it’s scary. May I tell you, I don't usually spend so much time in front of the Goggle-Box, but considering it WAS the ICC Cricket World Cup Semi Final, it warranted my support. Oh, and I'm South African.

So, the TV goes on, and South Africa are 27/5. I could not believe my eyes. The South Africans were so confident ahead of the game, there was real expectancy around the country that this could very well be the year we beat the Australian Nemesis. Yet here we were in a hole only Lance Klusener in his hey-day could dig us out of. Not even the talented Herschelle Gibbs could make much of a dent. Well, when you consider the top order couldn't do it, why on earth should we expect the middle and lower order could do anything? Taking into consideration our top-order consists of the apparently world-class talented AB DeVilliers, Graeme Smith and Jacque Kallis.So, after a mere 15 minutes of watching the worse horror story of my life; I decide it better I get on my knees and pray. Literally. I switch the tube off, and get onto my knees in my lounge before the King of Kings. Not for the sake of the SA Cricket team, but because I'd rather spend a bit of time impacting eternity, than a lot of time draining my brain. And that's exactly what it was...

After dinner, the tube comes alive again. SA are 149/9 and Charl Langeveldt is swinging like a 1979 VW Beetle Passenger door. Instead of blocking every ball and allowing Justin Kemp to dominate the game, he thinks swinging at every delivery may just change the game. Needless to say, a ball later he was bowled. Justin Kemp stranded at the other end, 49 not out. SA post their lowest ever World Cup score. And become the embarrassment of their country, and of all teams, against Australia. So, like a good loving husband (sarcasm) I remain in front of the TV waiting for the next big sporting event of the day: Chelsea vs Liverpool 1st leg Semi-Final. The players walk onto the pitch and I am desperately excited to see some sort of competition. Because South Africa's work was in no way competition for the mighty Aussies.

I’m in this to watch Liverpool win. After 105 minutes (90 minutes + 15 halftime) I go to bed as about discouraged as one can get. Liverpool lost 1-0. Sure, it was the 1st leg, but I had watched hoping something may happen. It didn’t. I had just spent the majority of my day watching a losing cause. Could there ever be more a waste of time? If I had to calculate the hours I spent before the goggle box it would probably come to around 3-4 hours. 3-4 hours of my life literally poured down the train.

All I’m saying in my first blog of all time is this: Maybe, just maybe, we should get back to where we should be. Focus on what’s eternal. In no way am I saying no more sport. But for me, this was all like watching a 3 hour movie that when it ended, there was no conclusion to the story. How dissatisfying. Maybe we should get behind a satisfying cause. At least some part of my day was spent talking to my Father. In that respect, not all my day was a lost cause.

Let me know what you think about this opinion, and let me know what you make of the Proteas rubbish performance. Post a comment, and let your voice be heard!